While travelling to London with Gary, Richard (now Radhanath Swami) was struck by the photograph of an old man on the back cover of a pamphlet that he had got at Randall’s island. He looked on at the effulgent form of this man whose smile radiated peace. Richard concluded that if any person in this creation has spiritual bliss, it is this person. Little did he know then that a year later and a thousand miles across, this man was to become Richard’s guru. Meanwhile at London Richard makes a shocking discovery that Jimmy Hendrix, the icon for flower generation, succumbs to an overdose of sleeping pills and dies a miserable death. The contrast of spiritual bliss and misery of material excesses couldn’t have been more striking for the young and impressionable Richard. His disillusionment with the counterculture grew; he now saw through the façade of the progressive ‘ideals’ of his generation which was distracted from spiritual pursuits and instead sought material pleasures. Richard realized the rebellion of most of the youth was just for the sake of it and lacked a meaningful goal.
Radhanath Swami says the reason people in this world are miserable despite having an overabundance of pleasures is they are seeking to gratify the self rather than serve the Supreme Lord. Radhanath Swami says this endeavor is unnatural for a living entity. The propensity to serve is natural; however when we seek to gratify the self rather than serve God and God’s children, our attempt is akin to watering the branches and twigs of a tree, rather than the root of the tree. Radhanath Swami is emphatic as he says, “Not only human beings but all living entities are parts and parcels of God. The parts are meant for serving the whole, just as the legs, hands, fingers and ears are meant for serving the total body. We living entities, being parts and parcels of God, are duty bound to serve Him.” Radhanath Swami reveals that forgetting God, humans have created unlimited subject matter for service. All of it is keeping them dissatisfied, because it misses the essence.
It’s an interesting analysis offered by Radhanath Swami. He discusses in his talks that actually our position is that we are always rendering service to someone, either to our family, country or society. If we have no one to serve, sometimes we keep a pet cat or dog and render service to it. All these factors prove that we are constitutionally meant to render service, yet in spite of serving to our best capacity, we are not satisfied. Nor is the person to whom we are rendering that service satisfied. On the material platform, everyone is frustrated. The reason for this is that the service which is being rendered is not properly directed. Therefore Radhanath Swami implores all to serve the root of all existence, God.
Radhanath Swami discovered the old man to be spiritually blissful, whereas Jimmy had been miserable. The difference- the former was connected to God and thus ‘watering the root’. The latter on the other hand was constantly seeking his own pleasures, in a vain attempt to ‘water the leaves and twigs’.
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Founder-acharya of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
“Go to India” a sweet but commanding voice; spoke up in the heart of young Richard (later Radhanath Swami) who was immersed in meditation, his search for meaning in life has brought him to the Isle of Crete. Today he was ordered to go to India. Born and raised in the middle class suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath swami grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s era when popular musicians protested war, prejudice and social injustice. Radhanath swami would listen to these songs again and again, but their lyrics referring to God stirred his soul. Peter, Paul and Mary- the folk trio from Greenswich village sang in their debut album
“Early in the morning, about the break of day
I ask the Lord, to help me find my way”
This simple prayer was to guide Radhanath swami in the coming years of his life........
Radhanath Swami is teaching a very important lesson here. That is the constitutional position of every living being is to render service and they can be happily situated if they render service to God & God’s children and not otherwise. All glories to HH Radhanath Swami.
View CommentVery profound knowledge is given by Maharaj to teach us the human tendency of serving others that is compare with twigs and branches of the tree and Krishna is the ultimate root cause of all cause.
View CommentVery nice message from Radhanath Swami about what and how to water. If we don’t come to the conclusion that unalloyed service to the Lord is the highest perfection of everyone’s life, any activity done would be a waste.
View CommentThis is really true that only if all our senses are engaged in the service of the Lord then one will experience the highest happiness. Thank for sharing this wonderful meditation.
View CommentRadhanath swami has very well spoken about what is real happiness and how to achieve it.
View CommentMaharaj has nicely explained about watering the root of the tree and not the twigs and branches.
View CommentThe analogy of tree, root & branches is very appropriate & makes the article more easy to understand…….
View CommentMaharajah is reminding us to be happy and peaceful in this world , we would have to develop the desire to serve the Lord and His devotees.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj gives perfect solution for our miserable condition in this material world
View CommentGood one, thank you for sharing this!
View Commentthank you very much for the insightful article.
View CommentWatering the root is the best analogy for a person to become a true servant. Thanks a lot Swamiji. All glories to Radhanath Swami.
View CommentIt is true that we must serve someone all the time. If we don’t get anyone then we keep a pet dog or a pet cat and serve it. So there is the serving tendency. Radhanath Swami Maharaj is urging us to serve the whole, God, so that we, the parts, will automatically be happy.
View CommentRadhanath Swami says the reason people in this world are miserable despite having an overabundance of pleasures is they are seeking to gratify the self rather than serve the Supreme Lord-Nice analysis of the root of all miseries.
View CommentAn interesting analysis offered by Radhanath Swami.
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami teaches this simple principle of watering the root with great clarity and analogies.
View CommentAnd only by associating or hearing from saints like Radhanath Swami can we understand how to achieve real happiness.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj’s thoughtfulness and appreciation for Srila Prabhupada from the very begining of his search for God is coming from the inner core of his heart.
View CommentWhat a wonderful point quoted by Radhanath Swami on the state of affairs in this material world.”the reason people in this world are miserable despite having an overabundance of pleasures is they are seeking to gratify the self rather than serve the Supreme Lord”.We should endeavour to make the Supreme Lord as the centre of our life.
View CommentServing god will give the real bliss
View Commentthe reason people in this world are miserable despite having an overabundance of pleasures is they are seeking to gratify the self rather than serve the Supreme Lord
this is quite a profound statement by Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
View CommentPrabhupad entered Radhanath Swami’s life even before he came to India. Must be the Lord’s arrangement.
View CommentIf we understand this simple example properly and implement in life, our lives would become perfect. THank you Maharaj.
View CommentService to God as Radhanath swami teaches us truly gives the highest bliss
View CommentThere is only spiritual solution to material problems.That solution is Devotional service.The analogy of watering the roots given by Radhanath Swami is very apt.
View Commentthank u for teaching very important lesson!
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for explaining the essence of spiritual practice.
View CommentThank you for sharing.
View CommentThank you Maharajah for reminding us
View Comment“the reason people in this world are miserable despite having an overabundance of pleasures is they are seeking to gratify the self rather than serve the Supreme Lord.”
nice reflection by HH Radhanath Swami
View Commentwonderful explanation!
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami fully expresses his heart and always preaches to address the root cause of the problem.
View Commentwonderful,thank you
View CommentThe willingness to serve vs willingness to gratify oneself makes the difference between a spiritualist and a materialist. Everyone is a servant of God. If one is not serving God, one is a servant of his/her own mind and senses. Serving God gives real pleasure to the soul, whereas serving ones mind and senses is the source of misery.
Why not follow in the footsteps of great souls like HH Radhanath Swami and give pleasure to the Supreme Lord?
View CommentTo serve God with right attitude and under the right guidance is the true cause of happiness.
View Commentthank you very much
View CommentVery nice article….it makes one think twice of futility of material endeavours & success…….
View Commentwonderful realization given in this article by HHRNSM, that we must always render our services by watering the root and not the twigs and the leaves of a tree, haribol, rajesh karia
View Commentsimply blissful and a must read article for all, thank you Maharaj, haribol, bhakti
View Commentvery nice realization
View CommentIts amazing to see how HH Radhanath Swami mahraj analysis the things in our surroundings so perfectly which we are unable to do so. That’s why everyone requires a guru. I hope one day I would get a guru as well.
View CommentThank you, Prabhu.
View CommentYes, very correct if one wants to have true happiness!
Radhanath Swami Maharaj explains service in the simplest possible manner!
View CommentThank you Radhanath swami for giving secret key for unlimited happiness
View CommentI have been following this blog for a while. Great work….
View CommentThis concept of watering the root is truly very impressive – but the key is to locate where the root is and that is where we need realized person like Radhanath Swami, who can guide us to where is the root & how to pour the water on it.
View CommentThanks for the wonderful realizations from the amazingly wonderful book – THE JOURNEY HOME. All glories to Radhanath swami for this work of excellence.
View CommentWonderful lessons learned! Thank you Maharaj
View CommentIf we sincearly engaged senses in the service of the Lord then we will experience the highest happiness.
View CommentWhat an amazing article with enliven examples to show our true nature of serving others.
HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki jaiii.
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